WHAT IS SOIL EROSION? / AGENTS OF SOIL EROSION

SOIL EROSION: IT IS DEFINED AS THE REMOVEL OF SOIL COMPONENTS ESPECIALLY TOP SOIL  FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER BY WIND AND WATER IS CALLED SOIL EROSION . IT IS THE TOP SOIL WHICH IS FERTILE AND SUITABLE FOR AGRICULTURE AND  SOIL EROSION IS MAJOR FOR THE INFERTILITY OF THE SOIL AND MAKE IT UNSTABLE FOR AGRICULTURE.TWO THIRD OF THE SERIOUS DEGRADED LANDS LIE IN ASIA AND AFRICA

AGENTS OF SOIL EROSION

(1) EROSION BY WATER

a. RILL EROSION .RILL EROSION IS A TYPE OF SOIL EROSION THAT HAPPEN WHEN RAIN DOESN'T SOAK INTO THE SOIL AND INSTEAD FLOWS IN A PATH ALONG THE SURFACE.

b.SOIL EROSION . SOIL EROSION IS A TYPE OF SOIL EROSION IN WHICH A LARGE AREA OF TOPSOIL SLIDES DOWNHILL AS ONE WHOLE SHEET.

c.GULLY EROSION . GULLY EROSION IS WHEN WATER MAKES A DEEP CHANNEL THAT WASHES AWAY SOIL WHEN IT RAINS.EACH TIME IT RAINS, THE CHANNELS GETS DEEPER AS MORE SOIL IS REMOVED.

D. MASS MOVEMENT . MASS MOVEMENT IS WHEN THE EROSION IS HELPED BY GRAVITY INCLUDING LANDSLIDES AND AVALANCHES . 

(2) EROSION BY WIND . THIS IS THE EROSION WHICH  IS CAUSED BY BLOWING OF WIND OVER THE SOIL WHICH REMOVES THE NUTURITIOUS TOP SOIL OF EARTH. IT ACCOURS DUE TO FOLLOWING 

(a) SALTATION .IN SALTATION FINE SOIL PARTICLES ARE LIFTED INTO THE AIR BY WIND AND DRIFT HORIZONTALLY ACROSS THE SURFACE INCREASING IN VELOCITY AS THEY GO.

(b) SUSPENTION .THE WIND THROWS AWAY SMALLEST SOIL PARTICLES INTO AIR , THESE PARTICLES MOVE AS FINE DUST WITH THE WIND . BY THIS WAY SOIL ARE TRANSPORTED TO LONG DISTANCE

(c) SURFACE CREEP . THE LARGE PARTICLES WHICH ARE TOO HEAVY TO BE LIFTED IN THE AIR ARE MOVED THROUGH A PROCESS CALLED SURFACE CREEP.